Toy motion-picture projection machine



Aug. 27, 1935. l. E. COHN El AL TOY MOTION PICTURE PROJECTION MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTO R N EY Aug. 27, 1935. I. E. CCHN ET AL 2,012,444

TOY MOTION PICTURE PROJECTION MACHINE Filed Jan. 2a, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 27, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Irwin E. Colin and Wilfred E. Tait, New York, N. Y.

Application January 28, 1935, Serial No. 3,781

4 Claims.

The object of the present invention is to provide a motion-picture projecting device so designed as to be capable of operation by a child, without danger, particularly as to the electrical v light source, which may be stamped from sheet metal at such low'cost as to be capable of sale in chain stores for a price very substantially less than one dollar as to the complete apparatus, and which will be, notwithstanding its simplicity and low cost of manufacture, durable and efiicient, the pictures being projected upon a screen with sharp and clear definition.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2--2, Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 44, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the interior of the primary casing and the film feeding means.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lamp and contact holder.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified cover plate for the dry cell, the plate also acting as a movable switch member.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified battery casing showing the modified plate and switch in contact position.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the battery casing showing the projecting handle of the battery cover and switch plate out of contact position.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a primary casing frame comprising a base plate I and vertically bent plate section Ir.

Plate la: is formed with a horizontal cut and a section of the plate above the cut is angularly j bent to form a holding arm 2 for a lens casing 3 which supports lens 4. Rearwardly of lens 4 vertical plate section la; supports a casing 5 adapted to receive a plurality of dry cell batteries 6, 6x.

Casing 5 is formed with a light aperture at I in front of which is a film guiding plate 8 U- shaped in cross section and having opposed forwardly projecting vertical flanges at 8: connected with front guide plate 9, the latter being formed with a slot at I0. Plates 8 and 9 receive a film l l between them and. each plate is formed with a light slot in register with slot 1.

The film to be fed between plates 8 and 9 will be of the usual type having marginal equally spaced apertures I2 which will be engaged by the forked end of extension I31: carried by film feeding arm l3.

The film feeding arm is of special construction. Extension I39: lies at right angles to its forked end and at right angles to an intermediate raceway section of the arm, which, in the present case, is rectangular in form, receiving an eccentric disk I.

The eccentric disk I4 is apertured to be frictionally held upon the stud shaft l5 carrying a pinion IS, the stud shaft at one side of the pinion having a bearing in an aperture formed in plate section la, the opposite end of the stud shaft having a bearing in an aperture formed in bracket plate I! secured to the exterior face of plate section Ir. If desired, bracket plate I! may carry a bushing l8 to receive stud shaft I5.

In mesh with pinion I8 is 'a gear IS, the hub of which is secured to a shaft 20 having a bearing in plate section la: and in bracket plate H. The hub 2|:c of a crank handle 2| is also secured to shaft 20 exterior bracket plate I! whereby gear wheel I! may be rotated to impart rotation to the pinion and hence to eccentric disk I4. By the rotation of eccentric disk l4 film feeding arm I3 is given forward, reverse and up and down movements.

To guide the arm in such movements, 2. rear.- ward extension "x1: thereof is formed with a longitudinal aperture, the walls of which are engaged by a guide stud 22.

Film guiding plate 8 carries a plate-like exten sion 811:, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, which lies parallel with vertical casing section I :c and hence in the same plane as arm l3 and adjacent thereto serving to hold the arm against lateral displacements during its movements in the feeding of the film.

The teeth of the film feeding arm are caused to enter slot it of the front film guiding plate 9 to enter film apertures, thence to move downwardly for film feeding movement and thence to retract from the film through the slot H) to the position shown in Fig. 5, followed by an upward and inward movement to position for again imparting a feeding movement to the film.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a lamp holder and contact device comprising a plate having a horizontal section 23, the vertical section 24 preferably being formed with 2. depending spring lip 24x. Secured by rivets 25 on plate 23, and insulated against the plate and the rivets by insulating material, is a contact arm 26 bent horizontally at its lower end to engage dry battery cell 6x.

Secured to contact member 26 and passing through an aperture formed therein is a combined lamp hood 2! and a threaded socket member 28. The rear of the socket member is closed by a contact spring 29 bent at its lower end to engage dry battery cell 6. Contact spring 29 will thus be engaged by the rear end of the lamp and will thereby transmit current to the lamp from battery cell 6. In practice, a fibre washer (not shown) or other insulating means will be inter' posed between socket member 28 and contact 29 and the end of the lamp will contact with the base of a cup-like wall of contact 29 as shown in Fig. 4. The method of insulation is elemental and well understood by those skilled in the art. In practice, the lamp holder and contact device will be inserted within the casing 5 so that the contacts 26 and 29 will engage the batteries 6 and 61: therein. If desired, plate section 24 may .lie outside of the casing and spring depending lip 24:0 may enter a space defined by a side wall of easing 5 and a bracket arm 30 applied thereto.

When an electric light bulb is threaded within socket 28, its contact end thereof will engage contact member 29 and the circuit will be completed, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 4, by conduction from dry battery 61: through contact 26 and from the latter to the conducting metal of the socket 28 and threaded shank of the bulb.

It will be seen in Fig. 4 that the lamp 3i when in position and illuminated by contact, as described, with the batteries 6, 6x, will project a beam of light through aperture 1 and the aligned apertures of plates 8 and 9, thence through the film and through lens 4. Lens 4 will be an enlarging lens and the image will be thrown upon a screen in enlarged form.

When the film is threaded between plates 8 and 9 and crank handle 20 operated, the film feeding arm will cause the forked end of extension I33 to successively enter the film apertures, impart a downward movement to the film, retract therefrom, and move upward and in toward the film for a succeeding operation.

It will be seen that the plates I, la: comprise a single piece of sheet metal formed with a base and a vertical supporting section, the battery casing is a single piece of metal bent in U-shaped formation and its cover is the support for the light hood and socket through the intermediary of a contact arm, and the socket supporting the second contact arm.

The film feeding arm includes sections formed as a fork, an eccentric raceway and a guide pivot raceway stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal, and that a primary characteristic of the device is the relationship between the illuminating means and the feed and lens whereby inexpensive batteries may be used, thus making the device suitable for use by children without danger of shock or short circuits which may arise through the high voltage of house current.

In Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, we have shown a modification, the principal characteristic of which is that the cover plate for the dry cell is botha holder for the lamp and a movable switch memher. In other respects, the construction is the same as in the preceding figures. The cover plate of the modification is shown at 30 and may comprise a sheet of insulating material such as fibre board. Passing through an aperture formed in the cover plate is the lower section of an arm 3! formed with an aperture into which may be threaded shank 32:1: of a lamp 32. Arm 3| may also support a hood 33 but the latter is not essential. The lower section of arm 3| is riveted to the cover plate and is formed with a spring contact end portion at 3|:r: to engage the dry cell 61:. The cover plate also supports a second contact arm 34 which passes through an aperture in the plate and is provided with a spring-like lower section 34:0 for engagement with the dry cell 6. Secured to wall la: of the battery casing is a horizontal fulcrum flange member 35 under which the cover plate may be inserted.

Wall 3! of the battery casing is cut away at 31m to provide a passage for the projecting end 303 of plate 30 and at one or both sides of the passageway wall 31 is indented to provide a detent which engages the edge 301m: of the cover plate. Wall 3'! is formed of thin springy metal so that the wall will flex against the pressure of the edge of the cover when the same is moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8, the detent thus yielding and again returning to position, sufficient pressure being placed thereby upon the cover plate to hold it in contact position.

When, however, the projecting end or finger piece 30a: is grasped and the cover plate moved upwardly, the edge of the plate will ride over upon the top of the detent where it will be held with the contacts out of engagement with the dry cells to confine the lamp rays. A hood plate 39 may be provided for the top of the casing and this plate may carry a loop 40 through which the film H may pass on its way to the feeding mechanism.

In the movements of the cover plate as just described, member 35 will act as a fulcrum and, as stated, the detent will act as a. latch for the plate in active position and as a support when the plate is raised.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:-

1. A toy motion picture projector comprising a frame member of sheet metal having a horizontal base and a vertical wall, an illuminating chamber adjacent said base and vertical wall, a light aperture formed in said illuminating chamber, a film race-way carried on said chamber adjacent said aperture, an arm mounted in front of said chamber, a lens carried by said arm in alignment with the light aperture, film feeding means comprising a second vertical wall spaced from the first vertical wall a short distance, the said walls being provided with two sets of aligned apertures, speed acceleration gears, and stud shafts carrying said gears journalled between said vertical walls, a manually operable handle carried by one of said shafts, a cam carried by a second of said shafts, a film feeding fork having a guide face parallel with and supported for oscillation directly in contact with and guided by one of said vertical walls, said fork having opposed sets of contact faces in register with and adapted for engagement by said cam, and said fork being reciprocable into and out of said race-way.

2. A toy motion picture projector comprising a sheet metal primary frame having a horizontal base and a vertical wall, a dry cell casing defined in part by said base and wall, a cover for the dry cells in said casing, a lamp supported by said cover for removal therewith, contact members carried by the cover and engaging the lamp, a film raceway carried at one wall of the dry cell casing and having a light aperture in register with the lamp when the cover is in position on the casing, a lens carried on the frame forwardly of and in register with said light aperture, and a film feeding device carried by the vertical wall,

3. In toy motion picture projectors, in combination with a film raceway, film feeding means and a lens, of illuminating means for the film comprising portable electrical energizing means of the dry cell type, a lamp, and direct contact means between the lamp and said dry cell energizing means comprising a plurality of contact arms engaging the lamp, one arm supporting the lamp, and a switch plate carrying the arms but insulated therefrom, said plate being movable to carry said arms into and out of engagement with said energizing means.

4. A device constructed in accordance with claim 3, in combination with a fulcrum member for one end of the plate and a detent member for the opposite end of the plate, said members being carried by walls adjacent the dry cell energizing means.

IRWIN E. COHN. WILFRED E. TAIT. 

